"Together we are lifelong CREST learners"
Principal's Message
Kia ora koutou
It’s Moving March! Let’s all encourage kids to walk, scooter and bike to school this month.
I received a lovely update from our senior camp. After a long trek yesterday, students from Rooms 7, 14 and 16 made it to Nelson and settled into Bridge Valley Camp. We wish them great weather and a week full of new and exciting activities! Tu Meke!
Thanks for tuning in to read our weekly newsletter. This week you’ll find information on:
- Understanding the new NZ Curricula for English and Maths
- Our school policy on AI
- Please join HERO – we know that 487 parents have joined so far 🙂
- Moving March – Let’s get our kids active!
At PBS, we’re incredibly grateful for the Pedal Ready Programme and our teachers’ commitment to keeping kids safe by signing up to it each year. It’s an amazing opportunity for our 9 and 10-year-olds to get active while learning essential cycling skills.
Through this programme, our students have learned about helmet fitting, bike safety checks, and key techniques like starting, stopping and steering. The smiles on their faces as they ride speak for themselves—learning in action and fun on two wheels!
Ngā mihi nui,
Jess Ward
Principal – Tumuaki
P.S. Got a suggestion? Let us know through our online suggestion box.
A few upcoming dates:
- 10-14 March – Senior camp for Rooms 13 & 15
- Friday, 14 March – School Picnic – We hope to see you there!
Welcome to Our Recent New Students
There were no new students this week
Have You Checked Out Our Community Notices Directory?
Do you need to advertise your business, an upcoming event, need child care, or looking for a gift or new club to join? Check out the PBS Community Directory on our website https://kapiti.pbs.school.nz/
Understanding the Refreshed Curriculum Documents: English and Maths
Here’s a little taster to build parent understanding of the implementation journey teachers are on:
The refreshed New Zealand Curriculum documents for English and Mathematics are now structured phases of learning instead of traditional year levels. At the primary school level the three phases of learning are:
- Phase 1- Years 0-3
- Phase 2 – Years 4-6
- Phase 3 – Years 7 & 8
Within each phase, Progress Outcomes indicate what students are expected to understand, know and do sufficiently at the end of each phase.
At the heart of this refreshed approach is the Understand–Know–Do (UKD) model. This model ensures students not only gain knowledge but also develop a deep understanding and can apply their learning in practical ways.
For example, in Phase 2 Maths (Years 4-6), a student might be learning about fractions.
- The Understand part focuses on grasping the idea that fractions represent equal parts of a whole
- The Know component includes recognising unit fractions (e.g. ½, ⅓, ¼) and their notations
- The Do involves using fractions in real-world problems, such as dividing a pizza or sharing objects equally
- This approach helps students build meaningful connections in their learning, ensuring they are well-prepared for the next stage
Here’s another example using Phase 1 expectations (Years 0-3) in English (Writing). Imagine a Phase 1 student writing about their weekend.
- The Understand part helps the student see that writing enables us to share our thoughts, ideas, and experiences; it’s a way to tell an audience/others about something they did
- The Know would focus on how to form letters, leave spaces between words, start sentences with a capital letter, and use some familiar words
- The do part could involve drawing a picture and writing a simple sentence like “I went to the park” using phonetic spelling and teacher support
You can take a closer look at the refreshed English curriculum at this link NZC – English (Years 0-6) (please note the section for Years 7 & 8 teaching has not yet been completed or published)
or the refreshed Maths and Statistics curriculum here NZC – Mathematics and statistics (Years 0-8)
AI Use at PBS
I have done a lot of professional learning about AI in education over the last 2 years – the benefits and concerns.
I also know that educators around New Zealand are adopting AI for work productivity, such as lesson plan creation. At PBS we realise that AI is becoming a bigger part of everyday life, and we want to make sure we’re using it in a way that supports our staff while staying true to our values. To do this, I have put together some clear guidelines around staff use of AI at PBS. To ensure that we are transparent with our parent community, I invite you to read this school procedure too either via this link Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) at PBS or on our school website.
As a staff, we are very aware of the problems AI poses for students, so at PBS student use of AI will not be an independent activity. Students may see teachers modelling ethical and appropriate use of such tools from time to time.
Overall, I believe that AI can be a great tool for reducing staff workload—helping with things like planning and resource creation, but I’m also acutely aware we need to be vigilant when it comes to privacy, accuracy, and ethical concerns. As a result, PBS will continue to review and adapt our approach as AI evolves.
Please Join the Hero App
Kia ora PBS whānau. The HERO app is providing us with some great insights at school. So far, 487 parents and caregivers have joined, which is a brilliant start!
The app’s analytics show us that 348 of those 487 read last week’s newsletter, which is a solid number to build on.
We’d love to see every parent and caregiver signed up. With around 800 potential subscribers, this would ensure everyone has access to important communications and learning updates throughout the year. If you haven’t joined yet, now’s the perfect time!
Thanks, Jess Ward
Using Māori Language at Home
Learning another language provides many benefits including greater academic achievement, greater cognitive development, and more positive attitudes towards other languages and cultures. So, let’s give it a go and help to revitalise this unique language to Aotearoa for our tamariki. Each week our newsletter will include words or phrases that you might like to try out at your kāinga/home.
A super simple saying that you can use in your everyday conversations.
Aua atu – Don’t worry
Hot Cross Buns for Sale
Easter Raffle
Iceblock Camp Fundraiser
Moving March
Moving March has kicked off with lots of students walking, scooting and biking to school.
Throughout the month of March, students can get their cards stamped and put them in the box to be in to win a spot prize. Stamped cards will go into the main Wellington draw at the end of the month, and we will celebrate our annual Wheels Day at school on Friday 28 March.
Here’s a link to the Sports Ambassadors video promoting Moving March. Let’s get moving!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VYvK-xAv3ZFbJFPh06-sZglGqYtaR0AF/view?usp=sharing
New Entrant Parent Information Presentation – Tātahi Syndicate
A New Entrant Parent Information Presentation will be held for all parents of new children on Friday, 28 March from 10am – 10.30am in the school staffroom.
This session will:
- provide an overview of the ‘Transition to School’
- provide an overview of the New Entrant Programme in reading, writing and mathematics
- highlight how you can help at home with learning, and explain the purpose of the
Home Learning Books
In Tātahi Syndicate, we believe that successful partnerships between home and school are established when both parties have a shared expectation and knowledge of their child’s learning. We would love to see you there.
Join Us for the PTA AGM – Your School Needs You!
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of our PTA will be held on 18 March at 7.30pm in the school staffroom. This is an important opportunity to learn more about the events and initiatives we support throughout the year, and to get involved in shaping the future
of our school community!
We’re looking for new members to join our PTA team. Last year, some of our valued members resigned, and we’d love to welcome fresh faces and new ideas to help us continue making a positive impact for our students and teachers. Whether you have a lot of time to dedicate, or just want to help out now and then, your involvement makes a difference.
If you have any questions or want more information, please feel free to contact Sandy Saunders: sandys@pbs.school.nz or Di Puati: dpuati@pbs.school.nz
We hope to see you there!
Digitech Corner
Netsafe is running some webinars for parents this month. Their webinar series aims to provide opportunities for parents and caregivers to access the information they want and need. Based on feedback and insights from parents across New Zealand, they shine a spotlight on some of the topics that are front of mind for many.
2025 Term 1 Webinars:
Online Safety for Children Under 10
- Date and time: 5 March @ 7.00pm
- Register here: Webinar Registration – Zoom
Netsafe is hosting a free webinar for parents and whānau on how to support children under 10 to have safe and positive experiences online. Discover practical advice and helpful tools to support your tamariki as they navigate the digital world.
Chatting Safely Online
- Date and time: 26 March @ 7.30pm
- Register here: Webinar Registration – Zoom
Are you looking for ways to support your 11-18 year olds to navigate the challenges and opportunities of chatting online? Join our free, parent webinar to gain practical tips and advice for supporting your children’s online safety while they chat and connect in the digital world.
Future Student Achievements
If your child has an achievement you would like us to share in our newsletter, then please send details (and a picture if you would like) to mbarfoote@pbs.school.nz
Thanks to Paraparaumu Track & Field
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